Manila, Philippines – The transfer of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (GMA) to Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) has not yet been started as of 12 noon, Friday, December 9, 2011.

Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo at SLMC, the night before her transfer to VMMCImage Credit: GMA News video

As noted at local news, the Arroyo camp wanted the Pampanga Congresswoman to be transferred by land from St. Luke’s Medical Center (SLMC) in Taguig City to the said public hospital in Quezon City.

Elena Bautista-Horn, Mrs Arroyo‘s spokeswoman, told the media that GMA wished to be transferred by land instead of air travel by chopper, as being insisted by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

The spokeswoman noted that GMA prefers to be brought to the 150-square meter presidential suite in VMMC by land due to bad weather and can even ride a taxi, noting that Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo had previous bad experiences boarding a chopper.

As reported earlier, DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo said that the government may use a chopper to transfer the former president to VMMC for safety purposes and transferring by land may not be a good idea.

Meanwhile, Communications Secretary Ricky Carandang said in an ABS-CBN’s ANC interview on Friday noon that the Philippine National Police (PNP) will transfer GMA within the day to comply with the Pasay Regional Trial Court (RTC) order.

“I don’t think they are serious about taking a taxi there. We won’t allow that to happen either. I don’t think that’s a serious proposition,” Carandang was quoted as saying, noting that there was no delay so far since they still half a day for the Arroyo transfer.